Dead Bone Huntsman
by StallionWolf
Summary: Isolated, Shunned, Hated. Things went wrong when Jaune's semblance awakened as he lost his family to bandits. Then...he found his teacher, his Master. Still broken like Remnant's moon, This young Arc will show the world the power of an Arc...from a Forest of Bone.
1. Weary Warrior

_I was talking to Khor about an idea I had in a dream, using a power from the Naruto series; which he isn't familiar with. With the Schnees revealing inheritable family semblances, this power would fit in. This power, in Naruto, was labelled as Kekkei Genkai- which translates to "Bloodline Limit". This_ _is an anomaly of the DNA that allows the wielder to use unique techniques. A kekkei genkai's name describes both the anomaly and the resulting technique. Most kekkei genkai are passed down between generations of a clan or Family._

 _Generally speaking, there are three types of kekkei genkai: Dojutsu are unique eyes with special perceptive abilities._ _Advanced nature transformations combine two basic natures in order to create a new one, such as water and wind to make ice; or fire and earth to make lava. Finally, the kind Jaune has in this story._ _Certain kekkei genkai grant their users unrivalled ways of using their own bodies._

 _"Why are we here? What does it all mean? ...I've been thinking about that a lot lately. And I realized.. finding our purpose IS the meaning - that's why we're here. And the ones who find it... they're the only ones that are truly free."-Kimmimaro Kaguya  
_

 **Dead Bone Huntsman**

 _ **ch 1: Weary Warrior**_

'How long had it been?' Jaune wondered as he stood in front of Beacon Academy. 'How long since my Semblance awakened when my family was destroyed?' He wore sneakers on his feet that seemed worn down from constant use, blue jeans that had torn holes over the knees, and he had a loose yellow shirt left unbuttoned and long baggy sleeves. On his waist was a belt holding a sheathed sword with blue leather around the golden hit with a white and gold sheathe. His yellow hair was messy and fell limply around his ears to his neck, with dull blue eyes that held such caution and pain within them. Above his eyebrows were two red dots- one over each eye. Unbeknownst to the other students, this was a marking from his Semblance.

While not built like a powerhouse, Jaune held a lean- almost swimmer's build. As he watched swarms of students meet up and wander around, he held back. "I can't afford to be hurt again...not until I destroy the ones who destroyed my family...yet...I need to follow his orders." He whispered to himself as he felt torn. Part of him desired companionship, but he was also afraid of feeling such horrible loss again. He was only 9 when he lost his parents, and then he lost his seven sisters only a day later. All because some bandits wanted valuable things from the small town...he would never forget or forgive their leader...that woman with the raven black hair and blood red eyes...nor that name...

 ** _Raven Branwen._**

The leader of those accursed bandits who ripped away his family. Seeing one of them holding the sword he now had strapped to his belt triggered such an anger, fear, and pain, that his Aura instinctively awakened...as did his semblance. He pried the sword from the dead bandit's hands in a forest of bone. That day...He didn't lose just his family...but his home.

After the bandits took off, people looked at him in fear. His Semblance...was...different...some called disgusting. Even his sisters no longer wanted anything to do with him thanks to his Semblance. He was isolated, shunned, scorned. Finally, he just packed a bag with things such as clothing, some food, and photos and relics of happier times. He left that night, mere hours before his family home was set ablaze by some extremists seeking to "purge the world of his unnatural ability"; his sisters long since moved elsewhere in town away from him. For years he wandered the forests as he honed his skills with Semblance and sword from Grimm attracted to the negativity rolling off him until he had a chance encounter with another Branwen. The brother of the one who lead the slaughter of his family. Hearing the man's family name instilled a fierce rage in him and he attacked the older huntsman.

Every time he tried to find some peace by helping little villages from Grimm, it would be torn from him after his Semblance was revealed. All of that being caused by a Branwen caused something to snap when he saw one related to her. Yet, despite his ferocity and unique Semblance; he was defeated. As he lied on the ground, begging for Death...something surprising happened.

The Branwen who he attacked...was caring for him. Even after he saw his Semblance...this man was caring for him.

Jaune's eyes snapped open as he forcefully brought himself out of his memories. "Master Qrow...I won't fail you." Jaune said in a voice that was slightly scratchy due to a lack of use. He gazed upon a beautiful blonde young woman with lilac eyes and a young teen with black and red hair with silver eyes. "I've found your nieces." When it looked like the blonde was about to ditch the silver eyed girl, Jaune pressed his hand against the ground. "Dance of the Seedling Fern".

Both girls gave yelps of fear as a cage of spiked bones arouse from the ground around them. Yang was growling slightly as her "friends" ran off and Ruby eyed the bones curiously.

"Master Qrow asked me to keep an eye out for you." Jaune's voice came from behind them and the two girls turned to see Jaune standing there with a blank expression. Yang at first growled and activated Ember Celica before his words resonated.

"Qrow? As in Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked as her silver eyes stared into dull blue. Yang's eyes were still red when his eyes stared into hers.

"I hate your eye color when your Semblance activates, and yes..my Master Qrow and your Uncle are the same person." Jaune said, "I am Jaune Arc."

"Wait...what's wrong with my eyes?" Yang asked, perplexed.

"They're the same color...as the Branwen woman who lead the slaughter of my family." Jaune said, refusing to look at her as he pressed a hand against a bone and the bone cage shattered into dust, just loud enough to cover the sound of Yang's gasp. For Yang...those words were devastating. For years she sought out her birth mother for answers. It was during this search that she heard rumors of her leading a group of bandits. Yang wanted to believe that those rumors were false. Yet...in a way they were proved...as she lead the slaughter of this young man's family; which means she wasn't alone.

Jaune froze as he felt a weight against his back and turned his head to see the younger niece holding him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry." He heard her mutter into his back and froze.

"You and your sister are not to blame for her actions. It is her and her group of bandits that must face my judgement." Jaune said, somewhat abruptly before Yang grabbed his hand. "Please release me. You'll only hate me once you see my Semblance-like everyone but my Master does. My purpose in life is to fulfill his will."

Both girls had seen the pain in his eyes and gazed at each other as the same question ran through their mind.

 _How broken is he?_

* * *

"So that is the young survivor." Ozpin said as he took a sip from a mug with Qrow slumped in a seat nearby as Professor Goodwitch frowned sternly at the image.

"I still don't see why you let him in; he looks like he belongs in a mental home." Goodwitch said.

"And with that attitude, you only prove him right." Qrow said before taking a long swig from his flask as he set down Jaune's trunk, "To him, Humans and Faunus are in the same exact category: Trash. With what the boy went through I don't blame him. Yo Oz, find anything from that blood sample of his?"

"Actually yes." Ozpin said as he gazed down at the screen of the trio heading into Beacon, "According to our findings...his Semblance-which I believe is Osteomanipulation- is actually hereditary. It just hasn't been on records before as the genes that express it are extremely rare and have to be aligned in a certain way." What Ozpin didn't say is that he also sent the results to Jaune's former sisters- an act of spite for sure for them tossing away family. It was bad enough that Raven lost her way...but hopefully those young girls could learn the error of their ways.

"Osteomanipulation?" Qrow raised a single eyebrow, "Heh, I prefer the kid's name for it. Dead Bone Pulse has a nice ring to it." As he glanced at Professor Goodwitch, who was opening her mouth to protest, "Listen here blondie. The kid went through enough. In this world where minerals give humans the ability to control nature, apparently something like manipulating bones is 'demonic'. Kid was forced out of his old home after losing his family. Every time he tried to do what his parents said his ancestors did-helping others- he was only driven out like some kind of Grimm Spawn because of his Semblance. Eventually he just...stopped caring..."

"Protection." Ozpin said, "He's trying to protect himself from further harm." At this statement, Goodwitch's eyes softened.

"But what about the people you had him visit?" She asked, "Taiyang? The Belladonna family? I remember you telling me that the mother wanted to betroth her daughter to him after hearing what he went through in order to be able to call him her son."

Qrow chuckled at that memory, the one time where Jaune's mask cracked since their fateful meeting and he looked uncomfortable. "He considers them...exceptions to the world of Trash." Qrow stood up and looked out the window before taking another swig. "As much as I hate it when he calls me 'Master'...I'm glad I found him before any of THEM found him...or we would have a second Tyrain Callows. Yet...I can still see it...buried deep down within him, underneath his pain and anger...is a desire for love...a desire for acceptance...a desire...to live up to his family's name."

Without a word, he leapt out of the building and a crow flew out of sight.

"What he needs...is hope." Ozpin said, looking over a chessboard that was partially played through as he picked up a Knight piece and stared at it intently, "To be shown that Love and Hope still exist."

* * *

"Why are you so worried about us hating you about your Semblance?" Ruby asked as she sat next to Yang in their pajamas. Jaune sat in front of them with his eyes scanning the room in only a pair of sweatpants. His dull eyes stared into silver and lilac before he sighed and closed his eyes.

"My Semblance...is called Dead Bone Pulse. I can make my bones harder than steel, regrow missing bones, and use my own bones as weapons." Jaune said, as Ruby became starry eyed and Yang quirked an eyebrow. Jaune clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes in concentration before small holes opened in his right forearm where spikes of bones protruded from.

"That is so metal." Yang said as Jaune looked up at her in surprise and Ruby tapped the bones as she inspected their hardness.

"He's living my dream! He can turn himself into a weapon! You and dad said that was impossible!" Ruby almost squealed and Jaune lowered his arm as the bones receded and the holes closed. His mouth opened and closed multiple times before he clenched his eyes shut and turned away as both sisters looked in concern. He started quietly muttering to himself as he stared at a spike of bone protruding from his right palm. While it was impossible to hear everything he said, they did catch three phrases.

"Demon. Grimm spawn. Abomination."

They gazed in concern as he seemingly stared at his own bone before another person walked over.

"Excuse me? Is your friend okay?" A young woman's voice said and the two sisters turned to see a beautiful redhead with green eyes wearing bronze colored pajamas.

"No...I'm afraid he isn't..." Yang said as Ruby started hugging him from behind. At this, the redhead looked slightly concerned as her eyes widened slightly at the bone.

"Is he...hurt? Does he need a doctor?" She placed a hand on his arm and he looked up in surprise as to her wonder, the bone spike receded into his palm and the wound closed.

"I'm afraid his...injury...is more emotional..." Yang finished as she rested an arm on his shoulder and Pyrrha gazed intently at his face.

"I remember you..." She said, "You helped a small village in Mistral from a Grimm invasion."

"They...didn't want me..." He said as he gazed down.

"Wait. Jaune saved a village?" Ruby asked.

"Jaune? Is that his name?" The redhead asked as both sisters nodded, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you Jaune. I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

"I'm Ruby! Ruby Rose!" Ruby said from her position hugging Jaune.

"Yang Xiao Long." Yang said.

Jaune looked at the three in concern before lowering his head and saying "Jaune Arc."

A good distance away, a woman in a black kimono with black hair and a black bow on her head looked over a letter in her hands with a book next to her. Her amber eyes darted between the blonde teenage boy and the letter. Her cheeks were flushed as her mother's words and...advice would not be...appropriate for younger readers. She shook those thoughts from her mind. There were Faunus who would say that since he was a Human, he didn't know what it was like to suffer.

From what her parents had written, they were wrong.

It was one thing to be discriminated against...but...to have your entire existence denied, to be looked at like vermin to be exterminated...it was just so wrong. Adam and Sienna were wrong...and her parents were right. There were humans who knew the pain of the Faunus. She tucked away the letter into her book like a bookmark and blew out the candles she was using for light. A young woman with white hair and a scar going down from her left eye glared at the noisy group as she huffed before turning and trying to fall asleep.

Yet, she couldn't help but shiver remembering the almost dead look in the blonde man's eyes; the look of someone who had lost nearly everything. Since she was little, she was instructed to stay on a pedestal above others due to her family name...despite her mother being a negligent drunk, her father being scum who used others as stepping stones, her brother being a spoiled brat, and her beloved older sister running off to join the Atlas military to escape her father.

Still...she had heard what Pyrrha Nikos had said...and his response. Why wouldn't a village want the person who saved them?! Seeing the look in his eyes she had to wonder...just how lucky was she compared to him?

* * *

"Qrow Branwen." A gentle, yet stern female voice said as the drunken Hunter turned to see a woman in a white military dress with her white hair done up in a bun with icy blue eyes.

"Well, isn't it the Ice Queen." He said with a smirk as he took a sip from his flask as she narrowed her eyes gazing upon the flask, "I know why you are here...Specialist Winter Schnee."

"You know how I feel about alcohol." She said, her gaze softening as she saw him stash the flask on his belt and pulling out his scroll and pulling up a picture of him with a confident smirk next to a blonde teenage boy with red dots above his blue eyes; a very tiny-almost unnoticeable-smirk pulling the the right corner of the boy's mouth as he held a scythe made of bone.

"The Atlas Military wants my apprentice. You already know my answer." Qrow said, putting his scroll away, "Not like you could convince him otherwise. The previous encounters with people from Atlas just cemented his decision to refer to them as Trash."

Winter said nothing, only gazing at the broken moon, before she quietly replied with "I know."

"If you know...why did you come all the way to Vale?" Qrow asked as he turned to stare into her blue eyes, hand subconsciously drifting down to rest upon his sheathed weapon. A cold wind blew between them, as a leaf drifted on the wind before settling between them.

"Why..." Winter said, as a single tear slid down from her left eyes, "He attacked you...you knew nothing about him...we knew nothing about him...why would you care and take him under your wing?" Qrow's hand fell off of his weapon and his gaze fell to the leaf on the ground between them.

"The look in his eyes." Qrow said, as Winter looked up to him as he avoided her gaze, "It's one I see when I look in the mirror." Winter opened her mouth slightly as no words emerged, not knowing what to say for once. "I used to be like the children at Beacon once. Young. Impressionable. Arrogant in the belief nothing bad would ever happen. I was in Team STRQ; Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, my sister Raven Branwen, and myself. We were regarded like modern day heroes; like we could do nothing wrong...then it all fell apart. Raven abandoned her husband and infant daughter to become a bandit...then Summer married Taiyang when he thought Raven was dead...and then Summer died on a mission when her daughter was very young."

Qrow paused as he grabbed his flask and took a long swig from it. "I blamed myself, you know?" He said with a humorless chuckle. "First for not finding a way to prevent Raven from leaving; then for not being able to save Summer. It was like where I went; bad luck would follow." Qrow paused again, muttering under his breath to himself, "The one good thing was that I managed to keep my nieces safe when Yang took Ruby out looking for Raven. That just...cemented my decision that...well...those around me only got hurt."

Winter said nothing as Qrow seemed to become lost in thoughts, muttering things inaudibly to himself. "You...didn't answer the question..." She said quietly, nearly recoiling as a pair of red, pain-fulled eyes stared into her own.

"I took him in..." Qrow said, "Because his eyes were just like mine after Summer died. Like he had nothing to live for. I had lost two sisters and would only bring misery to my nieces. What I learned...he had lost everything." A heavy silence drifted in the air around them as Qrow made a dismissive noise and turned away to gaze at the moon before taking a swig from his flask.

"I wish you wouldn't drink alcohol so much. What kind of example are you setting for your apprentice?" Winter finally said, a small uncomfortable smile on her face as she tried easing the tension.

"Who says I drink around him?" Qrow shot back, chuckling slightly. "Kid hates alcohol."

"Smart young man. Too bad the teacher didn't learn from him." Winter said as she glared with a raised eyebrow at the flask in his hand.

"Oh come off it, Ice Queen." Qrow said, tossing her the flask, "You might be surprised on what's in it."

Winter eyed the flask like it was a venomous snake before carefully opening it and taking a sniff of the liquid inside it. She raised an eyebrow in confusion and hesitantly took a sip before her eyes widened in surprise and she closed the flask and tossing it back to him. "Since when do you drink Dr. Piper?"

"Since the kid showed me another way to focus my emotional pain; by channeling it into training." Qrow said as Winter walked over to him.

"Those at Altas...They want his Semblance..." Winter said as she shifted her weight and latched onto her left arm with her right hand.

"I know...it's wrong." Qrow said, "We're supposed to be on the same side...and here they are trying to turn him into some kind of experiment. Well they're out of luck now. He's in Beacon now under Ozpin's watch."

"Good." Winter said, making Qrow raise an eyebrow, "Don't get me wrong...I enjoy what I do. It allows me to escape my...sire...without him making a huge fuss about it being too far from home or too undignified. Yet...I won't lie, there are things about it I hate." Qrow gave a smirk noticing the look on her face as he could predict a rant coming on. "I mean, I greatly respect the guy and his deeds, but General Ironwood could be such a doofus! Trying to make the kid be captured like a criminal or taking a small air fleet to a village weary from Grimm and bandit attacks and then wonder why they think we're invading!"

"Yeah, Ozpin wasn't too happy with him." Qrow said as his gaze focused behind Winter.

"Master Qrow." A scratchy voice said as Winter tensed and quickly turned to see Jaune standing behind her with a focused glare aimed at her, "Who is this Atlas Trash with you?"

"She's a...friend...of mine." Qrow said as Winter gazed at his serious face before Jaune's glare softened into a neutral look. "She's working with Headmaster Ozpin to keep you safe from the eggheads in Atlas." Jaune's gaze turned into one of curiosity as he scanned her face with his eyes.

"Is she the Ice Queen you have a crush on, Master?" Jaune asked as Qrow turned red and sputtered in embarrassment. Winter's cheeks reddened slightly as she averted her gaze from the experienced Huntsman. As both Winter and Qrow had their gaze away from him, they both missed the satisfied smile that Jaune had for a few seconds. Though he felt like his only destiny to serve Master Qrow until he died in battle- Jaune wasn't above trying to act like his Master's "wing-man".

"Just...Just what do you have to report?" Qrow said as he schooled his expression and Jaune knelt in front of him.

"I have successfully made contact with your nieces. My main mission of protecting them can now proceed easier due to this." Jaune said, keeping his gaze locked onto the ground as he didn't show his Master the perplexed expression on his face as he recalled their reaction to his Semblance.

"And they didn't hate your Semblance." Qrow said with a smirk as he looked up, "Why don't you four come out?" Jaune looked up in shock and horror as he turned to see Ruby, Yang, Pyrrha, and Blake emerge from nearby bushes. "Before you ask, I'm an experienced Huntsman, I could see the movement in the bushes as little as it was. Without a breeze moving it that movement was suspicious."

"I have failed you, Master Qrow." Jaune said as he closed his eyes and bowed his head, only to open them in surprise as he felt Qrow ruffle his hair.

"You have not failed me yet kid." Qrow said, "My nieces are still safe, though I see they still are very curious. The other two I can only guess is that they were curious about the three students leaving the group to go outside."

"Why do you want him protecting us Uncle Qrow?" Ruby whined with a sad pout, "Don't you trust our skills?"

"Oh I trust your skills." Qrow said, "I don't trust the world around you, that's all. Having someone your dad and I know watching your backs makes us feel better about not being there to constantly watch out for you."

"If I may..." Winter spoke up, "Maybe a showing of Mr. Arc's abilities would put them at ease?" She asked, "I am willing to spar on him to determine how well you've trained him."

Jaune lowered his head as a hole opened between his shoulders and he pulled off his shirt and tied it around his waist. A long spike of bone protruded as a long opening formed going from that hole to above his hip. Right above his hip, a curved, sharp bone sprouted. The young girls and Winter watched in a slightly sickened and worried expression as Jaune grabbed the bone protruding from his spine and pulled towards the opening before revealing a serrated scythe made out of bone. The "wound" then quickly closed and he stood up straight and twirled the scythe before stabbing the spike on the bottom of the handle into the ground. "Fine with me. I always wanted to test my skills on a Hunter other than my Master."

The two warriors stared at each other as the young teenage girls leaned forward. This match would be the first time they saw a spar outside of a tournament, and would be a showcase of the skill of a fellow Beacon Student. A leaf landed on the ground and Winter pulled out her Rapier as Jaune charged forward with his scythe.


	2. Dance of a Soldier

**Dead Bone Huntsman**

 **ch2: Dance of a Soldier**

 _ **(Insert Naruto Shippuden OST: My Name V2)**_

'It's made of bone' Blake thought to herself, 'There's no way that scythe would be able to withstand...'

CLANG!

Blake's thought process screech to a halt as the serrated bone scythe bashed and locked against the metal rapier. Winter and Jaune stared each other in the eyes for a few moments before Jaune leaped back with the scythe. Winter charged forward just as Jaune began to spin the scythe. "Dance of the Flying Crow." Jaune calmly said as he leaped forward at Winter while spinning and simultaneously swinging the scythe quickly in an erratic pattern. Winter skid to a halt as she backpedaled and did stabs which clanged against the scythe before Jaune landed on his feet and the slid her rapier against the serrated edge of the scythe before she did a quick flick with her weapon which disarmed Jaune of his scythe as it flew out of his hands while he was still slightly off balance; the scythe landing on the ground nearby.

Jaune hopped back as blood gushed from his left shoulder as a bone covered in blood sprouted. Jaune quickly grimaced as he recalled that he had an audience and forgot to focus on an opening for his bone to protrude from. "Dance of the Camellia." Jaune said, pulling the bone out to reveal a tanto length bone sword with a bone hilt. The wound on his shoulder quickly sealed as he flexed his left hand and rotated the left arm to ensure he grew the bone properly.

To Yang's eyes, each stab seemed to blur and leave behind afterimages. Such speed was breathtaking to her. In the back of her mind, the thought that her dad approved of the boy seemed to echo. He was so young, yet trained with her uncle to develop such speed and skill. She wondered if he ever had stopped to do anything other than train. How much of life did he miss out on in return for said skills?

To Ruby-who was used to moving at high speeds, she could see the beauty of his movement. Each stab was erratic and he kept the sword moving at speeds that created afterimages. Each stab did not lose power, yet the movement was irregular and extremely difficult to predict. This showed how much he had trained for this "Dance of the Camellia" as he kept his breathing regular and his opponent had a bead of sweat going down her neck as she narrowed her eyes and focused on deflecting as many attacks as she could.

Pyrrha could barely believe that any village would pass up this warrior. Sure his Semblance was a little...gruesome, but he carried himself like a firm steel beam that supported an equally strong foundation. Yet, his current stance was flexible and he bent and swayed like a flower in a gentle breeze. Despite the movement of his body, there was no loss of balance and his feet never slipped once. Despite having won the Mistral Tournament four years in a row...she knew...that she would likely lose against him. He created his weapons out of bone, and had yet to draw the sword on his person. Her Semblance was the key to her victory, manipulating metal of her opponent's weapons to create misses and openings for her. She now realized she used her Semblance like a crutch...as it was useless against this warrior.

Winter had used her experience to avoid and block most of the strikes, yet still there were now tears in her outfit. She could almost feel the sharpness as she leaned back to avoid a stab, her heart pounding in her ears as time seemed to slow and the bone blade whistled inches from her face and effortlessly sliced off a few stray strands of her hair that had been knocked lose during the spar. She could almost feel the sharpness as the air flowed around the blade and it whistled in a way rivaling the sharpest metal swords.

* * *

Within the Headmaster's office, the Professors and Headmaster of Beacon watched the spar from a screen on the wall. Doctor Oobleck was currently leaning in as he adjusted his glasses and was quietly muttering under his breath on how a Semblance could manipulate bones in shape, hardness, AND sharpness. Professor Port was stroking his mustache in thought, no doubt thinking of a story of his youth to compare this duel to.

"I can see why Qrow didn't want his ability in the wrong hands now." Glynda Goodwitch said quietly as Winter was struggling to hold off such an attack. "Such an ability could be a boon to his allies."

"In a way, his attacks represent his happier memories and those he care about." Ozpin said calmly as everyone's gazes turned to him, "According to Qrow, before he lost his parents, his mother loved teaching him how to dance and cook. His father showed him the different flowers and plants of Remnant and about music. When Qrow fought him, he had no style or groundwork for his abilities. Once he got Jaune to open up about those experiences, Qrow suggested turning dancing into a form of attack, and naming the different styles so he could know how to better support him while fighting. In this duel, we have only seen two of these attacks."

"Turning dancing into a fighting style." Doctor Oobleck said, "That is brilliant! Though something I wouldn't expect from Mr. Branwen."

"Oh it was Jaune who ran with the idea once Qrow suggested it. He studied each plant intently." Ozpin said as he took a sip from his mug, "The very first one was the Dance of the Camellia we just witnessed. A flower that moves gently in the breeze yet is firmly rooted in the ground and to some seemingly blooms in random ways. After that was Dance of the Clematis: Vine. This was soon followed by the part two of the attack. Dance of the Clematis: Flower. The third separate attack was Dance of the Larch. That was soon followed by Dance of the Seedling Fern as he experimented with his ability. Then he formed the Dance of the Willow."

"Each of the attacks are named Dances and are named after plants." Oobleck said, "No doubt having been inspired by said plants." The scientist within the Professor was already trying to find ways of studying the attacks in more detail.

"The one attack that breaks that pattern is his Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets." Ozpin said, "Which Jaune made when figuring out a way to add a long range attack at Qrow's recommendation. The first attack we witnessed, Dance of the Flying Crow, was actually his newest one." Ozpin said nothing more about the details of the young warrior's attacks as he saw Qrow call the end of a spar just as Winter had called forth a summoning glyph after making some distance from him. He saw Jaune concentrate before his bone weapons suddenly disintegrated into dust. Sure he knew Winter Schnee was holding back. After all, she was an experienced Huntress and part of the Atlas military. She had the advantage in terms of experience...

Yet Jaune's dances had unpredictability to them, which is what kept her on her toes. As he saw the three other students approach the young warrior, ideas were already forming in Ozpin's mind.

* * *

"Oh my gosh! That was so cool!" Ruby said as she suddenly appeared in front of Jaune in a flurry of rose petals. Jaune's reaction was very subtle, a quick twitch of his eyes and a small crawling movement from under sections of his skin. When he wasn't immediately attacked, those reactions ceased as his Aura relaxed and he allowed himself to pant slightly as he started feeling the drain on his Aura reserves; as massive as they were. "You were like 'waah watchaaa hah' and" Ruby started making exaggerated karate moves mixed in with a few dance moves as Jaune tilted his head slightly at her reaction.

She had seen the Dead Bone Pulse at one of it's most gruesome and still thought it was cool?

"That was amazing blondie." Yang said as she ruffled his hair, "I can see why dad and Uncle Qrow want someone like you watching our backs."

"The best part about it was that he only used two attacks; his first one made and the most recent one." Qrow said, making everyone take a double take at the young Arc. "All I will say is that he has eight attacks so far, though two of them are two halves of the same attack."

"That must mean he has killer dance moves. You ever been to a dance club?" Yang asked, only to gain a horrified look on her face as a pit formed in her stomach as he tilted his head.

The pit was increased when he asked "What is a dance club?"

Pyrrha approached hesitantly as he watched her with dull eyes and she thought carefully of what she wanted to ask him, yet no words would come. Instead, she rested a single hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile and a nod showing that she respected his skill. Jaune's eyes widened for a split second, she almost missed that reaction, before he nodded back. He turned and then made eye contact with the woman with black hair and a black bow.

"Blake Belladonna." Blake said, holding out her hand.

"Jaune Arc...wait...Kali and Ghira Belladonna's little kitten?" Jaune asked quietly as he shook her hand, eyes drifting upwards as he noticed her bow twitch.

"That's...what my parents call me." Blake said somewhat nervously. Jaune nodded before letting go of her hand and walking back towards Beacon without another word. Qrow sighed and rubbed his head.

"Uncle Qrow...how broken is he?" Ruby asked with wide eyes as she watched him go.

"Jaune...hasn't had the best life from age 9 to now." Qrow said, "He lost his parents in a bandit raid, and then was shunned by his entire home when his Aura and Semblance awakened in the raid-even by his own sisters. He then wandered as he tried helping others only to be driven away after he drove off Grimm and bandit raids...until he stopped caring altogether."

"He...He said his purpose in life is to fulfill your will." Yang said.

"I don't believe that..." Qrow said, "But sadly the kid does. I was the first one to care for him after his Semblance awakened. I'm afraid that he would happily get himself killed to ensure my safety. This is why I am glad you followed him here." The sorrowful looks of the teenage women gazing at the retreating form of Jaune turned curious as they gazed at the experienced Huntsman.

"I want you...all of you...to show him that life is worth living." Qrow said, "To show him his value as a living person, and find another purpose besides trying to act like my servant. To have him find happiness in his life."

The girls looked at each other before nodding with determined expressions and running off after him.

"You do know what that happiness might entail, right?" Winter asked as she straightened her hair and moved to stand beside him.

"If it happens, it happens." Qrow said, taking a drink of this Dr. Piper filled flask, "After what the kid went through, I can't hold it against him. Still, I basically trained and raised him, I know what he is like. He's a good person underneath his stony exterior."

"What of the sisters?" Winter asked, and Qrow gazed at her with a fury in his eyes, though it wasn't directed at her.

"His Semblance is inheritable, like yours is." Qrow said as Winter's mouth opened and closed in shock. The Schnee's Summoning and glyphs was an ability that was prized within the family for generations. To hear that the ability Atlas's military wanted was ALSO inheritable was shocking. A powerful ability had been lying dormant for all this time.

"I bet they are feeling stupid." Winter said with a bit of vindictiveness in her voice. To hear, what they did was the same as a Schnee abandoning family for improving their family Semblance.

"Not only were all their Beacon applications denied, but Ozpin showed them a copy of Jaune's ACCEPTANCE letter to Beacon." Qrow said as both Hunters gave a vindictive smirk, "Not only that, but one of them was freaking out when she discovered her Semblance grew claws of bone from her fingertips."

"A lesser form of Jaune's Semblance." Winter said, and Qrow nodded at that statement while making a sound of affirmation. "And the one who has the best chance of teaching her was driven away...or was she cast out too?"

"Nah, the sisters stuck together..." Qrow said, before muttering a vulgar insult about them, "But were also chased out of the village."

"You reap what you sow." Winter nodded before her eyes widened. "They know Jaune is at Beacon!" Qrow let out a harsh curse before he unsheathed Harbringer and shifted it into it's scythe form.

"If they try anything...they will answer to me." Qrow said with an unnaturally harsh look in his eyes.

* * *

"All of you have honed your skills for years, and I will like to put rest the rumors you may have heard about teams." Glynda Goodwitch said as Jaune stood stone-faced on the gray square in a row with others forming a line as they each stood on one of their own. "You will be receiving your partners...today. Each of you will be launched into the Emerald Forest. The first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."

Jaune clenched his teeth. He did not like that at all; possibly being on a separate team from his Master's nieces-which would make his mission harder. As he was glaring at the forest ahead of him, the four young women who saw him spar with an experienced Huntress the night before locked eyes with each other. They knew Jaune's mission, as well as their own.

"You are expected to make your own landing strategy, and then fight to the ruins to collect an artifact." Ozpin said, "You will be graded on how well you complete your mission, so be sure to fight to the best of your ability." Then someone screamed, as Jaune hunched over after tying his shirt around his waist and an opening formed between his shoulders and a long spine protruded from his body.

"Dance of the Clematis: Vine!" Jaune started quietly, but then roared out the last word as he pulled out a long spine with widened, black cartilage filled spaces with razor sharp protrusions on the bones before the wound sealed up and he stood up and cracked his own neck and showed no obvious discomfort. He inspected the spine before he snapped it like a whip and then rolled it up around his right arm. Whispers rose up from around the crowd of potential students, but Jaune paid them no attention. During the confusion, Ruby took the opportunity to swap launchers with another student. Soon, yelps and screams came from besides him as the potential students that were more focused on Jaune's ability were suddenly launched into the forest.

Soon enough, Blake was launched towards the forest, followed by the white-haired woman Jaune saw. Then, Yang leaned back and winked towards him and Ruby before she slipped on a pair of sunglasses and was launched into the forest; Pyrrha being launched a few seconds later. Jaune felt the ground underneath him suddenly shift and then found himself in the air. Jaune unraveled the spine and glared at the tree in front of him before...

"BIRDIE NO!" Ruby's voice suddenly broke his concentration and he looked to see Ruby trying to slow herself down by firing the gun form of her weapon. Jaune swung the spine onto a branch and swung underneath it, using his momentum to swing upwards and grab Ruby around the waist and then pulled it so the spine-whip tightened.

Ruby glanced to see Jaune's dull eyes staring at the portion of his whip wrapped around the tree before he started slowly climbing up the whip after moving the young Rose to hold onto his back. After a few awkwardly quiet minutes, Jaune stood on the protesting branch as the serrated edges had started cutting through it. Jaune said nothing, forming a spike of bone in his palms, knees, and multiple small ones on his feet before he started using those to climb down the tree. Once they were down far enough Jaune just jumped off the tree and landed on the ground as he pulled off his now-ruined shoes before he sighed and put them back on; even though there were now holes going through the soles of the shoes.

Ruby moved forward and placed her hand on his left shoulder, making him turn and look at her. Bright silver met dull blue. Nevertheless, the hand stayed on his shoulder as his right hand met her left shoulder. "This makes us partners." Ruby said with a smile as she moved her hand out for a handshake. Jaune stared for a few moments with a neutral expression before his gaze fell to her hand and he slowly moved his down her left arm, as if readying for a sneak attack, before he finally let go and his palm met hers. Her skin was extremely smooth save for a few callouses here and there on her fingertips from constant maintenance on her weapon. To Ruby, his hand was the same way. There was not a single callous, but there were rough patches of skin where he didn't protrude a bone from as often; like the undersides of his fingers.

Ruby stared at the sword at his hip. "So...what is the sword?" Jaune blinked slightly before picking up the sheathe and sliding the blade free from it.

"This is Crocea Mors, it has been in my family for generations. It only does this." Jaune said, having the sheathe become a shield, "I don't use it much yet, I'm still trying to figure out how to include it into my fighting style." With that, he turned the shield back into a sheathe and re-sheathed the blade before placing it back on his belt. Ruby gave him a bright smile.

"That's cool. Not many people have an appreciation for the classics! I'm sure I can find a way to work it into your fighting style. A dance like your Dance of the Camellia perhaps?" Ruby said as Jaune looked thoughtful, "I have this! This is Crescent Rose!" Ruby unfurled her gun into a long red and black scythe. "She's also a high-impact Sniper Rifle."

Jaune gazed at Crescent Rose with a dull stare and stony expression. "It is a pleasure to meet Crescent Rose." With that he narrowed his eyes as he glared at the forest ahead of them. Jaune then held his hands out to his sides as a long, sharp spike of bone grew from each palm and another spike grew from each shoulder. Ruby held Crescent Rose up as she heard the bushes rustling, only for her to rush over as a familiar blonde stepped forward from it.

"Yang! I got him as a partner!" Ruby said as she hugged her older sister and Jaune raised an eyebrow as the other niece he was supposed to protect made his job easier by coming to him.

"Nice! I got a partner too!" Yang said as a familiar redhead stepped forward.

"Hello again!" She said, wearing bronze and gold ornate armor with a bronze shield and a red and bronze javelin. Each warrior tensed as they heard growls emerging from the forest nearby and Jaune hunched over, a bone spike growing from each knee and elbow to join the already grown spikes. A small pack of Beowolves emerged from the shadows, eyes locked onto the group of Hunters as Yang activated Ember Celica.

"Dance of the Willow." Jaune said before charging at the group of Beowolves and spinning around the first one that snapped at him with it's jaws; the bone spikes of his elbows and shoulders ripping through it's head as he did so. He made a long sweep and stabbed his bone spike on his right palm through another Beowolf as his left hand did a sweep slash that ripped through another Beowolf that leaped at him.

"It's...elegant..." Pyrrha said as her eyes were wide in shock.

"Come on! We can't let him have ALL the fun!" Yang said, before letting out a loud yell and charging forward and throwing a punch with her right hand into another Beowolf; the sound of a shotgun firing echoing as the something tore through it. Ruby sped forward in a flurry of rose petals and leaped at a tree before launching off of it and spinning to add momentum to Crescent Rose as she beheaded a Beowolf and Pyrrha ran forward and deflected another Beowolf's bite with her shield as she stabbed into it's throat with her javelin.

"For the finishing blow..." Jaune muttered as he leaped upwards and flipped so his back was facing the last Beowolf and, with a roar that got the attention of the ladies nearby, long curved spikes of bone burst from his back like the branches of a willow and grew until each skewered through the Beowolf into the ground. The bones receded back into his body and the multitude of holes in his back soon sealed up as he landed and the bone spikes in his knees, palms, and elbows soon followed suit. Ruby was clapping as Yang gave a wolf-whistle at the performance and Pyrrha joined in the polite clapping for his "performance" with the Beowolf.

"We should get going, I believe I saw the location of the ruins when I was launched." Pyrrha said as Jaune turned his gaze to her.

* * *

After what seemed like hours, the group emerged in a clearing overlooking a small structure made of stone with gold and black chess pieces sitting on pedestals. Ruby and Yang walked over to the structures casually as Pyrrha and Jaune went on the defensive as their eyes darted across their surroundings. "Cute little pony?" Yang asked, and Ruby gave a grin as both of them picked up the gold colored knight chess pieces. Both of the black bishop pieces were already gone and a black rook piece was also missing.

Pyrrha relaxed as she walked over to Yang and Jaune kept his guard up while walking over to Ruby's side. All four Hunters jumped as an Ursa burst from the forest and charged at the structure, only to collapse a few feet away as Blake and an orange haired woman leaped off his back, though Blake seemed to collapse and just blink in shock.

"Did she just..." Pyrrha asked in shock, as the orange haired woman kicked the Grimm softly.

"Awww... it's broken." The orange haired woman said, before rushing over and grabbing the gold-colored rook piece. "I'm queen of the castle~" She started happily singing on repeat as a man with magenta eyes and black hair with a magenta stripe in it emerged with the white haired woman he spotted man gave a look to the white haired woman who sighed as the orange haired woman ran over and hugged the man.

"Renny!" The woman shouted as Jaune stared at them with a stony expression.

"Nora. Sorry we weren't partnered up." The man said as the now named Nora gently tapped his nose with her pointer finger. She gave him a grin as her eyes softened as the man grabbed the other gold colored rook piece. The white haired woman walked over to the man before glaring at Blake. Seeing the woman glaring at someone who was the child of two people he was somewhat close to irked Jaune.

"What are you glaring at...Atlas Trash?" Jaune asked as the woman turned red in anger with her left eye twitching and looked like he kicked a puppy in front of her as she bristled.

"What did you call me?!" She huffed out as she glared at him.

"Atlas Trash. This world is full of Trash that refer to themselves as people. Judging by your stance and your similar look to my Master Qrow's friend, you are from Atlas." Jaune said, "Atlas has not given me reason to call them anything other than Trash, and the fact you are glaring at the daughter of two of the few people to care for me regardless of my Semblance does not exclude you from that category."

"Well then..." She said with an air of superiority, "I will prove who is the real trash."

"Calm down Weiss." The man said as he walked over as Jaune narrowed his eyes, "I'm Lie Ren."

"Jaune Arc." Jaune said as he kept a wary glance on Ren's movement. Ren's eyes met Jaune's and the two stared at each other as the wind rustled the leaves of the trees.

"You had lost everything too..." Ren said as his gaze softened, "Nora and I are the only survivors of my village."

"I apologize for your loss." Jaune said, "I lost my parents to bandits and then my home drove me away due to my Semblance. I have no clue where I would be without Master Qrow." Jaune's gaze drifted to his right arm as spikes of bone poked out of it. Weiss looked somewhat sickened, yet curious at the same time. As the bone spikes receded, Weiss let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

Four boys stood on the stage in a small group as Blake, Nora, Ren, and Weiss stood in a small group next to them. On the other side of Blake's group was Jaune, Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha. Jaune quietly muttered to himself as he noted the groupings that Headmaster Ozpin created. "Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. You four brought back the black bishop pieces. From this day forward you shall be known as Team CRDL (pronounced Curdle) led by Cardin Winchester." The four boys then were seen laughing and bumping fists with each other as Jaune rolled his eyes.

Trash was trash. End of story.

"Lie Ren, Weiss Schnee, Nora Valkyrie, and Blake Belladonna. You four collected the white rook pieces." Ozpin said, "From this day forward you shall be known as Team RNBW (Rainbow) lead by...Lie Ren." With that, the image of the four students's pictures were lined up to show the name of the team. Weiss looked absolutely livid while Ren calmly bowed to Ozpin. Ozpin nodded at him before walking over to the last four students.

"Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Yang Xiao Long, and Pyrrha Nikos. You four recovered the white knight pieces. From this day forward you shall be known as Team RAYN (Rain) lead by...Ruby Rose!" Ruby looked absolutely shocked while Ozpin smiled reassuringly at her as Yang gently gave a playful push to her younger sister while Pyrrha smiled in relief. Jaune just closed his eyes as he kept his expression stony, yet was filled with relief.

Jaune had not been trained in leadership by Master Qrow, and knew he was not very qualified. Being a leader meant thinking of different team attack names, being responsible for the actions and health of your teammates, and required both an ability to bond emotionally to your teammates while keeping a level mind. While the level mind was easy for Jaune, the emotional bond with your teammates was extremely difficult. When you face betrayal and attempted assassinations for many years, it left one jaded and wary around others.

Still, this caution was a strength. That is what Jaune figured out, and he felt sorry for these children who had yet to face the harsh reality of Remnant.

 _The day this chapter is released; November 10, is the 43rd Anniversary of the Sinking of the Ore Carrier S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The date the ship and it's 29 man crew vanished beneath the stormy waves of Lake Superior without a single cry for help was November 10, 1975._


	3. Dance of a Knight

**Dead Bone Huntsman**

 _ **ch 3: Dance of a Knight**_

Team RAYN entered the room with tired yet happy grins as they looked around the room. There were four beds on a red carpet with bookshelves and desks. On the side to the right when facing the window was a door leading to a communal kitchen and living room area shared by the team next to them. On the left side from the doorway was the bathroom.

"All right Team RAYN! We have a busy day of decorating and classes tomorrow!" Ruby said proudly as she stepped into the room and opened the window, which revealed a balcony area for students to gaze at the night sky or train at. Jaune was already thinking of the usefulness of the training balcony as he stepped in and shrugged off his shoes and shirt.

"Excuse me...well that sounds...grand...maybe we better decorate...tonight? Before the classes?" Pyrrha quietly suggested, and Ruby ran over to her. Pyrrha recoiled slightly before she saw the excited grin.

"This will be great! We can make bunk beds to make more room!" Ruby said, and Jaune looked over to see Yang lifting up one of the middle beds and walked over and helped her align it properly and used a couple bones from his shoulders to help reduce the weight of the bed Yang was holding. Pyrrha, seeing this, quickly ran out and came back with metal bracers and screws, quickly aligning them and the nails going in place with a couple swings of a hammer. Within a few hours, as the shattered moon rose high in the sky, the two bunk beds were securely made- with ropes on the top bunks not only holding them more securely to the ceiling, but also forming curtains. Yang and Ruby grabbed an arm full of different things and went running around the room. Jaune just walked over with a couple of bags and set them down on the bottom bunk furthest from the bathroom as the others were in a "decorating haze" as it were. Jaune just opened his bags and started sifting through them.

"All done!" Pyrrha yelled as the other two women of Team RAYN cheered, making Jaune look up to see different belongings on three of the tables, two closets he hadn't noticed open with outfits of the other three in there, and posters of "X-Ray and Vav", "Achieve Men", and other gaming groups and bands on the walls. Jaune just picked up some black steel toed sandals, a pair of black dress shoes, and white sneakers after tossing his destroyed pair in a garbage can and set it down in the closet closest to his bed. He then went back to his bag and brought them to the closet he was using and hung up his Beacon Academy outfit, a white dress shirt with the Arc crest on the back, a gold sash, gold dress shirt, and multiple lose-fitting long sleeved zip-up shirt with the arc family crest on the back in white. He also hung up black shorts and black pants with some tears around the knees that were cut off around the ankles.

Leaning back, Jaune nodded to himself before placing a book titled "The Art of War" on the top of his bed before picking up Crocea Mors and glancing at it for a few minutes before he stepped onto the balcony. Unsheathing his ancestral sword, he twirled it around slightly in order to test it's weight as his shifted the sheathe into a shield. After nodding to himself, Jaune started going through the motions of "Dance of the Camellia", but the shield was throwing him off somewhat or he would bang it against himself. He took a step back, glaring slightly at the shield and paced slightly.

"I see...So the shield prevents the acrobatic movements for other dances, but needs a firm stance like Dance of the Seedling Fern". Jaune said, as he paced by himself before growing multiple overlapping plates of bone and cartilage on his shoulder, around his calves, and on his chest and back.

As they were looking on, the girls of Team RAYN were shocked to see him form something other than a weapon on his body. Pyrrha shook her head and stepped outside as she grabbed her weapons, shifting her lance into a xiphos. Jaune quickly turned and swung the blade of Crocea Mors at her, which she blocked with the Xiphos. "Your stance is too wide for armored combat." She said with a small grin as Jaune tilted his head before recognition set in and he nodded and shifted his stance.

* * *

The next morning Jaune awoke on the bed as he stared at the bottom of the bed over his own. He heard movement above him and turned in time to see Ruby lean over the side of the bed, and their eyes met. "Oh! You're awake!" Ruby said, before leaning back up and then jumping down to the floor next to him in her pajamas. "I was about to go to the bathroom and get changed...I'm surprised you are already awake, you and Pyrrha were training late last night...and Pyrrha is still asleep. It's good we all showered last night."

"I'm used to getting up early with Master Qrow." Jaune said as he sat up and placed his feet on the floor before looking out the window. The sky was a bright blue and orange as the sun was rising and Jaune stood up and watched it as Ruby gazed at him in concern. Ruby quietly slipped away from him as the bathroom door creaked shut. Jaune was so focused on his thoughts, he never took in the fact that Yang and Pyrrha's bed was actually empty as he opened the window and stepped onto the balcony to feel the cool morning air.

"Still stony?" Yang asked Ruby as she set her clothes next to her. Pyrrha was rubbing the sleep from her own eyes with her hair flowing freely down her back.

"He said he is used to waking up early with Uncle Qrow...then just went to the window when he saw the sun rising." Ruby said as the three of them started changing into their Beacon outfits. Pyrrha splashed some water on her face and tied her hair in a ponytail after getting dressed in the school uniform. As they stepped out of the bathroom, they noticed a draft coming into their room with Jaune absent. For a split second, terror seized them before they heard a grunt and moved to see Jaune swinging Crocea Mors with a stony expression on his face.

"He is still training." Pyrrha said in shock, "Well I do know Beacon is supposed to hone our skills...but...he doesn't have anything else." Her eyes drifted down to the ground as she recalled the constant training as soon as her talent was noticed. Yang noticed the change in her partner's attitude and placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"That is the task Uncle Qrow gave us...to have him find happiness outside of training. Something to truly live for." Yang said, as Ruby had a determined glint in her eyes. Jaune pivoted and swung the sword hard enough to launch a shock wave of air from his swing out to the sky. Yang walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her as she felt the skin crawl under her hand, but it quickly settled when his dull eyes locked onto hers.

"Bathroom is all yours. I got Pyrrha up and changed, you might want to get in your Beacon Outfit." Yang said. Jaune sheathed Crocea Mors and silently moved to the closet with his clothes and grabbed the Beacon uniform and the yellow sash. Giving a nod to himself, he moved to the restroom and took a glance at the clock before stepping inside.

There was only an hour until classes.

"So...anyone else notice he only has his weapon and clothes?" Ruby asked, pointing at the closet. Yang and Pyrrha frowned before they glanced at his empty bags and back at his closet. All three female members of Team RAYN frowned as they gathered their weapons and an outfit for combat class to go into their lockers. Jaune emerged in his Beacon uniform with the yellow sash around his waist held by a belt.

"You might want to grab an outfit for combat class, we will head to our lockers to drop off our weapons and battle outfits." Ruby said as she nudged Jaune, who nodded at her with a stony expression. They opened the door and locked it with Ruby's scroll and headed down the hallway of the dorms until they exited into the outside; the sky now a bright blue and sun rising in the sky. Jaune opened the locker and placed a white shirt with the Arc crest on the back, and black pants cut off at the calves along with Crocea Mors inside. He shut and locked the locker and turned to see the rest of Team RAYN looking over him. Jaune gave them a curt nod as he turned; pausing when Ruby grabbed his left hand with her right hand.

* * *

An Axe-Blunderbuss weapon hung on a wall over a boards displaying various species of Grimm; King Taijitu, Ursa, Death Stalker, Beowolf, Boarbatusk, and Nevermore. In front of it was an elderly man in a teacher uniform. "Monsters! _Deeeemons_... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as **prey**! Ha-ha!"The man-Professor Port said, as students were in various states of boredom. "Uhhhh... And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely _teeming_ with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces! And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses...Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the _very world_!"

Weiss was writing down everything he was saying, Yang and Blake were seemingly paying attention, Ruby was drawing something as she kept her ears on the teacher, Nora was sleeping, Ren was reading a book, Pyrrha was keeping her eyes glued on the backboard, and Jaune had written down the information on the blackboard behind the Professor and was now on a second page as his eyes darted between Teams RAYN and RNBW.

Ruby looked up from her drawing to see Jaune writing down names and...stances? She leaned over and her silver eyes widened in shock as she read what the second set of "notes" were.

'Dance of the Blooming Rose. Form a bone scythe like in Dance of the Flying Crow and spikes on back and arms while spinning. Keep movements simple, yet erratic enough to make it hard to predict. Try to add bone bullets.' Seeing a drawing of the Rose symbol she wore, Ruby let out a grin. While he wasn't expressing himself emotionally, he apparently liked her enough to form an attack after her and Crescent Rose.

'Dance of the Frost Snowdrop. Create large bone structures and break them into shards sent at foes.' Seeing the snowflake symbol next to that note made Ruby wonder if it was based on the woman he sparred with, or their classmate Weiss. Ruby tapped her sister and pointed to the note below that.

'Dance of the Burning Sunflower. Create large gauntlets of bone over hands and use them to amplify blunt force blows and deflect bladed weapons.' Yang grinned reading that and seeing her burning heart logo next to it. She could teach Jaune a thing or two...and maybe get something in return. With that thought she gave a teasing grin at Jaune; who was looking over his work and ignoring the commotion around him. Yang nudged her partner and pointed at the note below "hers", enjoying the shade of red Pyrrha turned as she read it.

'Dance of the Fire Lily. Create a spear out of hand and a buckler on the other arm. Keep stance firm on the ground, yet loose enough to quickly avoid attacks.' Seeing her spear and shield logo next to the note gave no doubt about the fact that she had inspired that attack. The members of Team RAYN kept reading the last few attack ideas he had, such as Dance of the Deadly Knightshade where he used his bones to restrain the foe and fire sharpened projectiles, or Dance of the Calm Lotus where he he formed thicker bone armor under his skin around his chest, arms, and legs. Or Dance of the Tingflower, where he formed bone plates on his arms and spikes all over his back.

Finally was his last one, Dance of the Knight. The attack where he formed the armor he did when training with Pyrrha and used Crocea Mors.

"Ah-heh-hem!" The teacher cleared his throat, seeing that his tale had lost the attention of nearly all his students. "In the end, the Beowolf was no match for my _sheer_ tenacity, and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!" With all eyes back on him, Professor Port felt it was good to continue his lesson. "The moral of this story? A true Huntsman must be honorable! A true Huntsman must be dependable! A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise! So, who among you believes themselves to be the _embodiment_ of these _traits_?"

Weiss, still bitter about not being made a leader and seeing Team RAYN's leader just leaning against Jaune, stood up and yelled "I do sir!"

"Well, then, let's find out!" Professor Port said, gesturing to a shadowy cage rattling with glowing red eyes peering from within, "Step forward, and face your opponent!" Weiss stood up and walked down and exited the room to get to a changing room after calling her locker. Quiet murmurs arose in the classroom after Weiss closed the door to get changed into her battle dress. As Weiss walked back in, Jaune narrowed his eyes as multiple bones started growing around his left hand. Ruby looked down as Weiss charged at the Boarbatusk Professor Port released and her rapier clashed with it's tusks. Nora was cheering, but Weiss growled and turned her head.

"SHUT UP NORA! I'M TRYING TO CONCENTRATE!" The Boarbatusk turned it's head and Weiss's blade went flying from her hand.

"Oh? What will you do now without your weapon?" Port asked as he stroked his mustache. The Boarbatusk started spinning in place before it charged forward at Weiss like a buzz saw. She summoned a glyph and held it in front of her as the Boarbatusk slammed into it. Then, she glanced around the room and moved to the side as the Boarbatusk stopped rolling. She ran over and grabbed her rapier and jammed it into the Boarbatusk's neck...and the body went flying at Ruby.

"DANCE OF THE CLEMATIS: FLOWER!" Jaune yelled, jumping onto the desk in front of Ruby with a large drill-like spear around his left hand up around to his elbow. He thrust the spear at body of the Grimm, and it went through the beast like a knife through hot butter. The room was deathly silent as the Grimm dissolved.

"It does seem we are in the presence of a Huntress-in-Training..." Port said as he turned his gaze to Jaune, whose bones receded back into his arm-leaving the left sleeves of his outfit ruined. "And Mr. Arc had a marvelous reaction befitting a true Huntsman!" Jaune said nothing, just blinking as he hopped down from the desk and sat back down. Ruby and the rest of Team RAYN were now gazing in concern at his ruined uniform whispers among the classroom made them glare as they heard insults about Jaune's Semblance echo through the room.

"I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... stay _vigilant_! Class dismissed!" Professor Port said as Jaune stood up with a blank face and quickly left the room as his teammates scrambled after him. Weiss slumped to the ground as her teammates stared as shock set in at the accident that almost occurred by her hand. Blake slowly released the desk she had clenched her fingers into as she left indents from her nails where she had latched onto. Nora was trembling as a pink Aura surrounded her and Ren.

Weiss was now shivering as she stared at her own weapon still clutched tightly in her hand. She had been groomed as a leader and heiress for nearly all her life. Having not been chosen as Team Leader she felt was an insult, especially since their neighboring Team's leader was only 15! This was her chance to prove herself to the professors, to become a leader.

Only to nearly injure another student.

Weiss's world came crashing down as that memory played on repeat. If it wasn't for the blonde with the dead eyes...Jaune...

'His eyes were worse than most Faunus I met that worked for her dad.' That very thought made her insides freeze as she remembered that...freaky Semblance. Even she, as shocked as she was, could hear the insults from the other students besides RAYN and RNBW. She had witnessed mechanical marvels, minerals create powers of nature, and even her sister summoning a likeness of a Grimm to fight for her.

Yet apparently manipulating your own bones was unacceptable to society. The look of distrust she saw a bear Faunus shoot Jaune as he left was proof enough that he was even an outcast among outcasts. So why did he put himself in danger to save his Team Leader like it was an instant reaction?

Professor Port saw Weiss just sitting there in shock and knelt down while placing a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Schnee, this is a good learning experience for everyone..."

* * *

 ** _(Naruto Shippuden OST 1: Man of the World)_**

Jaune said nothing as another student bumped past him in an attempt to knock his notes out of his hands. His dull eyes stared ahead as RNBW and the rest of RAYN followed as the two teams headed back to their dorms. Eventually, Yang (who had the least patience among the two teams), eventually grabbed the shoulder of the next person who bumped into Jaune and threw him down the hallway; eyes red as her anger activated her Semblance. As the black-haired student looked up, he gulped slightly at seeing Yang crack her knuckles as her eyes were blood red.

"You want to mess with my friend after he saved my sister?" Her hair was glowing as Jaune turned and blinked at those words.

"But...he's a freak?" The student meekly said with a nervous grin.

"For what? Having a Semblance? That means you're a freak too!" Yang growled out, punching a wall hard enough with her right fist hard enough to leave a hole in it. "News flash, we all have Aura healing any wounds; his Semblance just makes it faster as he uses it. Now...I'll give you five seconds to run."

"What?" The boy said.

"5" Yang said, cracking her knuckles loudly.

"But-but!" He stammered as he stood up.

"4". Yang said, rearing her right fist back, making that student yelp and run off like a scolded dog.

"You need not put yourself in trouble for my sake." Jaune said as he turned his back on the group and faced the door to RAYN's dorm, "Master Qrow tasked me to protect you. That is my mission."

"But this isn't right!" Ruby protested as she stomped her foot while pouting, "They're treating you horribly for what? A Semblance?!"

"That is simply the way of the world." Jaune said, "I have faced my realization that I hold no true belonging in this world other than to Master Qrow." Their eyes drifted down as drops of water landed at Jaune's feet. "Through my life, I realize that reality is just made of pain, suffering, and emptiness. People cannot show each other their true feelings. Fear, suspicion, and resentment never subside."

"Jaune..." Pyrrha stepped forward, only to have Jaune step closer to the door as the drops of water continue to fall at his feet.

"Man seeks peace, yet at the same time yearning for war... Those are the two realms belonging solely to man. Thinking of peace whilst spilling blood is something that only humans could do. They're two sides of the same coin... to protect something... another must be sacrificed." Jaune said before turning his head to look at the two teams nearby with tears falling from his eyes as his voice nearly cracked at the last statement he made. "I am that sacrifice, for it was in the darkness of this world I was raised." Without another word, he used his scroll to open RAYN's door and stepped inside.

The sound of the door closing sounded like a canon blast to RNBW and RAYN.


	4. Broken Crescent

_For those complaining Jaune is an "edgelord" in the last chapter... I do have a line that went through my head as I wrote it:_

 _"Soldiers aren't machines, we're just people" - Captain Lasky, Halo 4._

 _One reviewer asked for me to switch up his outfit...so I looked up a few pieces of traditional Japanese clothing. I hope everyone likes it._

 **Dead Bone Huntsman**

 _ **Ch 4: Broken Crescent**_

Eight Years...

It had been eight years since they broke their promise to their dying mother. Four years since they had lost the right to their former family name.

Iris Orleans sat in a tree in the Emerald Forest with a clear view of Beacon Academy pondering their life choices as she held a scroll in her hands with a picture of two adults standing over seven girls and a young boy; all of them with wide grins on their faces. Laying on her stomach nearby was Saphron Orleans staring at bone claws protruding from her fingertips. Five other girls sat around the base of the tree all of them having the same symbol. A yellow upside-down crescent.

Saphron's expression was nothing but guilt and melancholy. Ever since she and her siblings broke their promise, nothing but ill followed them. Her actions destroyed any chance of a permanent relationship with Terra Cotta.

 _"I can't see a future with someone who abandons family in their time of need."_ Were Terra's exact words to Saphron. With Saphron's behavior in regards to her own brother; she had been afraid Saphron would do the same to her or any child they had if Saphron didn't like something about them.

Even now, if Saphron closed her eyes, she could see her dying mother. Smell the stench of spilled human blood. Hear her mother's dying words.

 _"Swear to me on our family name that you will look out for and take care of all of your siblings."_

They had sworn that oath when serrated...trees (for the lack of a better word) made entirely of bone had sprouted around them and impaled the attacking bandits. They saw Jaune...standing there while peeling Crocea Mors from the dead hands of a bandit impaled on a tree as spikes of bone protruded from his elbows, shoulders, and chest with blood pouring from wounds the bones were protruding from. As their mother took her last breath, they only felt fear gazing upon their "baby brother". Then, some villager had yelled that he was possessed by a Grimm, and was showing his true colors.

Fear gripped their hearts. Would he attack them for failing to save their parents? Was he already dead and possessed by some unknown Grimm? Was this power...what the bandits had attacked to obtain? In that fear, they eventually helped the villagers drive away their little brother. The last time they saw him was him gazing at them with fear and betrayal shining in his blue, tear filled eyes.

While the villagers cheered, they only felt shame. As if a sign from the Brothers, their old house was destroyed by more...zealous...villagers. The tombstones of their buried parents (they hadn't even let Jaune come to the funeral, Saphron realized) cracked and dark clouds filled the sky as thunder rumbled. More and more, their guilt ate away at them as word spread of their brother's wanderings. Eventually, that negativity drew in the Grimm and Saphron awoke her Semblance as bone claws grew from her fingertips.

A loud cry of a Nevermore nearby pulled them from their thoughts and they shook their heads and gathered up before they went back to Vale.

They had to reconcile with their brother...it was the only way they could become Arcs once again.

* * *

RNBW and R(A)YN opened the door to RAYN's dorm. Jaune sat on his bed, staring out at the balcony as tears rolled down his face.

"Jaune..." Pyrrha softly said as she and the others approached, "You are not a mere sacrifice." Jaune made no effort to show any sign that he heard them, but they could see him tense momentarily, "You are part of the next generation of protectors. A part of Remnant's future."

"I'm not crying because of that." Jaune said with a dry, humorless, chuckle, "I'm crying because I will fail a mission given to me by Master Qrow." With that he turned to face his allies as a few tears still fell, "A mission to find those...precious...to me outside of my Master. Possibly one day...become a father." With that Jaune let out another dry laugh as a pained, broken, expression shone in his eyes, "I'm some kind of abomination and Grimm Spawn due to my Semblance! No one outside of my Master will truly accept me as I am, let alone before I was broken! How can I fully trust anyone besides my Master...when my own family and other villages I saved betrayed me?"

Silence hung in the air like a fog after Jaune vented what he believed to be a failed mission given to him by Qrow Branwen.

"Before my Semblance awakened alongside my Aura...I was just a normal child." Jaune said, "The baby brother among seven sisters. We were close. I wanted to be a hero like ancestors my Grandfather told me about, they wanted me sheltered. Normal family drama." Jaune let out a chuckle as a small smile crossed his face, "My mother and father would teach me other lessons by disguising it as Hunter training. Me, in my childish naivety, believed them. Dancing? Mom called it 'movement training'. Learning about plant life? Dad called it 'wilderness survival lessons'. Cooking? Mom called it 'ration preparing'. Music? Dad called it 'Lessons of Remnant's societies'. Then it all came falling apart soon after I turned 9..."

An intense look of sheer rage an hatred crossed his face, "When Raven Branwen led her bandits and attacked my home...and my parents died." Nora buried her face into Ren's chest as his Negative Emotions Hiding Semblance activated and surrounded him and Nora in a pink Aura. Ruby was openly crying at that last statement, Yang clenched her fists as her eyes turned red and her hair looked like it was a golden fire, Blake looked horrified, and Weiss's pale skin nearly turned snow white.

"As I was attacked, my Aura awakened...and I grew angry seeing the bandit attacking me using MY family's sword...Crocea Mors. My Semblance awakened...creating what I eventually based my Dance of the Seedling Fern on, and killed the bandits who didn't have Aura...the other bandits left...but those in my home...my own sisters...Because of my Semblance they made me an outcast. While people were too afraid to attack me directly...harsh words...insults...overpriced goods or refused service...Everyone made it clear that I did not belong. Even my sisters... I heard them talking on how I..." Jaune closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"How I should have died that day." Those words. It was like someone put a frozen knife in RNBW and R(A)YN's hearts while a vice constricted their throats. It was one thing to dislike things about family...but none of them would EVER wish death upon one of them for something as trivial as a Semblance!

"The day of my parents' funeral...my own sisters chased me away from it." Jaune said, "I had to watch from a distance while hiding. That day...I left the only home I ever knew. I grabbed a bag and filled it with clothes, food, a few pictures and trinkets from my parents and ancestors, took Crocea Mors and left. That night... I could hear cheers and laughter as my family home was set on fire and destroyed. I just wandered across the land, helping drive away Grimm as I practiced honing my Semblance; only to be driven out after the last Grimm was destroyed or fled due to my Semblance. Then when I was 12, I came across my Master...the one who accepted me as I was and saved me from my loneliness."

Jaune stared at his own hands as claws of bone protruded from his fingertips. "That is why even the mere thought of failing him hurts so much. My Master...the one who became like a second father...who gave me the idea to turn dancing into a fighting style, taught me...cared for me...and got me into Beacon...I can never repay him for what he did...and failing a mission he gave me is unacceptable." The claws just receded back into his fingers as the holes in his fingertips closed and Jaune closed his eyes.

Ruby's clenched fists trembled and her silver eyes seemed to cause her tears to glow. "You're wrong." She said, and Jaune looked at her in confusion as Pyrrha, Yang, and Blake remembered what Qrow asked them to do when they met him, and how similar to the mission Jaune was talking about it was.

Blake could see herself sitting on a swinging bench in Menagerie with her head leaning on Jaune's shoulder as they gazed at Faunus and Humans coexisting as one as a little cat Faunus girl with blonde hair and amber eyes was reading a story on Jaune's lap as she excitedly made exaggerated movements and noises while Jaune held the book steady.

Yang Xiao Long saw herself with a blonde baby boy gazing at her with matching eyes as Jaune opened the door to their home in Patch for them, matching confident grins on their faces.

Pyrrha Nikos saw a little red-headed, blue eyed boy "training" happily with his dad, Jaune (both parents knowing Jaune was just playing with him and using the time to spend bonding with his son) in a nice quiet cottage away from the hustle and bustle of Mistral's cities; she never wanting her son to feel the pressure and loneliness of fame until he was ready.

Ruby Rose saw a little girl with black hair that had blonde streaks in it (matching where she had her red streaks) and blue eyes grinning happily as she pulled a sheet of cookies out of the oven while Jaune cleaned the cooking pans used to make it while watching them with a smile.

They worked on fighting down a blush as they saw that Jaune had taken off his ruined shirt and was working on sowing the sleeve together. That...was not helping their efforts on hiding their red cheeks after seeing themselves have a CHILD with him.

"Regardless of what you experienced." Ruby said, seeing as she had lost Jaune's attention as she had trailed off, "There will be people who care for you besides Uncle Qrow. One day...you WILL be a father." Her words trailed off as she tried thinking of what to say next.

"Sure, you say you are broken." Yang said, "It's just like a motorcycle. Sure, it breaks occasionally, but it can be rebuilt even better than before." With that, Yang sauntered over, "We're gonna ensure you succeed in your mission...and make those creatures you called your sisters EAT their words!" Blake took a picture of Jaune one her scroll after he stood up and gazed at RNBW and R(A)YN and sent it to her mom...along with a little request...

* * *

The next morning Jaune awoke when someone was knocking at the door of RAYN's room. Slipping out of his bed, he turned and somewhat blushed to see that Yang had slipped into his bed after he fell asleep with Pyrrha and Ruby sharing a bunk above him. Blake had taken the bottom bunk that Yang had usually slept in, while Weiss had taken the bunk above it. Lie Ren was sleeping on the floor with Nora, who was using his head as her pillow. He slipped on a white shirt as Blake stirred and sat up, watching him with a small smirk while inwardly surprised about how quickly her request was fulfilled and sent.

When Jaune opened the door, the last thing he expected was a delivery man holding a package big enough for him to stand in and still be concealed; let alone one from Mistral paid for entirely by Kali Belladonna. After signing for the package Jaune watched the delivery man quickly walk off while muttering about a schedule and getting lost in Beacon. Gazing at the tape, Jaune held his right pointer finger straight and a claw of bone protruded from the fingertip before he carefully cut through the tape before opening it to reveal multiple copies of the same outfit. Jaune carefully ran his hand over the clothing after making the bone claw recede into his finger while glancing at his regular outfits in the closet. All of them were run down and carefully mended multiple times, yet had also been with him since he had trained under his Master Qrow.

"You should put them on." Blake's voice cut through his thoughts, "My mom thought they would look good on you while not impeding your ability with your semblance. Also, today will be combat class, so you should wear your new combat outfit after what my mom spent having it made and sent." Jaune grabbed one of the outfits and pushed the box into his closet before going into the bathroom.

The rest of RNBW and RAYN had been waking up when the knocking first started, but were now completely awake when they heard the bathroom door shut.

"So... Mama Belladonna sent Warrior boy a new outfit." Yang said as she gazed at the bathroom door, "I hope he rocks it."

After about twenty minutes, Jaune emerged with the same stony expression on his face-his venting helping him rebuild his emotional and mental defenses. He wore a snow white Happi with the Arc family crest on the back and a golden border going around his neck and down around the bottom; which went just past his hips. There were designs of red-eyed black crows and blue-eyed golden canaries and goldfinches in flight around the front, sides, and back. The baggy sleeves only fell to just below his elbows, and they could see loose gold patches on each shoulder that could move to allow his bones to protrude, and the entire Happi was loose and had room for his spine to emerge without damaging it and was open to expose his chest and stomach. He had black Hakama pants with black patches over his knees for his bone spikes. Around his waist was a gold colored Obi (Traditional Japanese sash) with his belt over said Obi. Strapped to his belt was Crocea Mors. On his feet were the most "modern" part of his outfit; black waterproof hiking shoes.

Each member of RAYN gave him a thumbs up as Blake looked proud of how noble this new outfit looked. With the exception of the shoes and belt, he almost looked like a wandering samurai or ninja. Ren gave him an approving nod as Nora flashed a grin and thumbs up at him. Weiss gave a critical eye over his outfit before she gave a curt nod as well. The red dots over Jaune's eyes furrowed as he moved around in the outfit, getting a feel of the new clothes. Sure it was different from what he was used to...but...it was a gift from a person he excluded from the category "Trash", so there was some obligation to wear it.

Besides, they didn't really restrict his movement. He was just unused to the higher quality material.

Tucking the bottom of his Happi under his Obi and belt, he shrugged his shoulders out of the top and slid his arms out of the sleeves and let it fall down; yet still remain on his body due to being held by the Obi and belt. Reaching down, he slid his arms back into the sleeves and walked out with a focused gleam in his eyes. He was a survivor, a warrior. With today being Combat Class, it was time to show the world to never mess with an Arc.

* * *

"Will Jaune Arc and Cardin Winchester please make their way to the combat arena?" Professor Goodwitch said as she heard rambunctious laughter as Cardin walked down while his team cheered him on and yelled insults of his opponent. Seeing this, Goodwitch sighed and rubber the bridge of her nose under her glasses. Winchestor was not the ideal huntsman. He was lazy in his work ethic when it came to non-physical lessons, prejudiced, arrogant, and selfish. If it wasn't for the scholarship from the Combat School he went to and the influence his family held, Goodwitch would have rather denied him entry to Beacon.

More than once, she found him and Team CRDL surrounding and picking on Faunus students.

Her eyes then went to his opponent and all around...enigma; Jaune Arc. She raised a brow at his new outfit, but inwardly grit her teeth seeing his stony facial expression. He was not mentally prepared for being a Huntsman; he showed no compassion to others around him. Yet...she recalled what Headmaster Ozpin said about what he went through, and her gaze met his stony eyes. Sure enough, there was worry and pain shining in them...yet...there was something in them he did not have previously.

Hope.

Hearing the cheers of Team RAYN and Team RNBW almost broke through her professional air and made her smile. Those two teams...the oddest group of friends imaginable, would be the ones to remold Mr. Arc into a brilliant Huntsman. She knew a bit of Mr. Arc's fighting skills with his spar with Winter Schnee from Atlas's Military, but also knew Mr. Winchester's from initiation.

What would prevail in this fight? Finesse and precision, or strength and directness?

The two boys made it to the stage, and Professor Goodwitch almost saw sparks of anger fly from Cardin's eyes as Jaune showed no visible reaction to the taunts. She took their scrolls and plugged it into the screen; bringing up their Aura meter.

"Now remember, the winner of this match is whoever causes his opponent to go outside this arena or lower their opponent's Aura level to red first. This spar follows standard tournament rules." Professor Goodwitch said, "The match begins now."

(Naruto Shippuden OST 3- Standing up on Roaring Earth)

Cardin charged forward with his mace raised high as Jaune ran forward and slid under Cardin as he brought the mace down upon where Jaune once stood. "Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!" Jaune yelled, and Cardin turned to see Jaune's hands pointed at him with him on a knee, all ten fingers aiming at him with holes in the tips with ten bullet-shaped bones flying towards him. Cardin smirked as he saw the projectiles heading to his chest-plate and just stood there with the cocky look on his face.

Then the bullets impacted and the look was immediately wiped off his face as he felt pain as the bones impacted his armor and dented it. Sure, the dent to his Aura was minimal; the same amount Jaune used on his meter using the attack, but he would be bruised from the impact of his armor caving inwards. Then, Cardin turned seeing Jaune's Aura take a slight dip downwards on the meter. Cardin's gaze went back to his opponent in time to see an opening in Jaune's left shoulder close with his new "shirt" shrugged off him and his opponent holding a tanto sized sword made of bone with a bone hilt.

Cardin hefted the Mace onto his shoulders as he smirked at his opponent. He was now ahead on the Aura level meter, since his foe's Semblance used Aura. "Really, making things easier for me, bone using freak? Lowering your own Aura level so I won't beat you as bad?" Jaune's expression never changed as he burst forward in a surprising speed, thrusting the bone sword at his face. Cardin moved his mace to intercept, only to feel a stabbing pain in his abdomen as his Mace passed through an afterimage and Cardin saw the sword had pierced his armor, but not his Aura. Still, his Aura level had taken a hit and was now below Jaune's...unless...

Cardin swung his Mace at Jaune's head, who just crouched and ducked under the swing. As Cardin raised his knee at Jaune's face, he spun to the left and delivered a stab to Cardin's right knee. As Cardin stumbled from the blow, he felt a slash tear through the back of his armor as Jaune swung that bone sword and delivered a strike to Cardin's exposed back.

Okay, so his usual fighting style wasn't working against Arc, Cardin decided, so it was time to continue psychological warfare.

"You really think you will belong here. You aren't even accepted by the Faunus Freaks." Cardin said, blocking another blow with his Mace but frowned seeing bone of all things leave a scratch in his heavy steel Mace. "Just give up...maybe those girls you hang out with can come to my team and spend...time with real men." He teased, giving a quick leer at the girls of RNBW and RAYN.

"Trash." Jaune's voice was gravelly and quiet, yet somehow carried through the entire room, "I will not let you lay a hand on them. The Dance of the Camellia is finished." Jaune lowered his left arm and long, solid curved bones protruded and connected, forming a large drill over the lower half of his left arm. "Let's see if you can handle Dance of the Clematis: Flower."

Cardin took a quick look at the Aura meter. Both him and Jaune were now in the mid-yellow; though Jaune's biggest drain was from forming the new weapon as his sword shattered into white dust. "YOU LOSE FREAK!" Cardin said, running forward and swinging his Mace from sideways at Jaune from his left hip just as Jaune thrust the drill forward. The tip of Jaune's bone drill met the head of Cardin's Mace as Cardin leaned his weight into his steel weapon. The entire audience could hear snaps and cracks from the two locked weapons.

Then the drill shattered the head of Cardin's Mace, pieces of steel flying everywhere as Jaune kept moving and a red dust crystal fell and bounced away from the two warriors. Continuing forward, the drill pierced armor and the momentum of bone hitting Aura knocked Cardin off his feet and onto his back. Cardin growled holding the handle of this once proud Mace, but froze as he looked up and saw the tip of the bone drill mere inches from his head.

"Mr. Winchester's Aura had dropped into the low red upon the last impact. This means that Mr. Arc has won the match." Professor Goodwitch said, as Jaune took a few steps back and let the bones forming the drill recede into his left arm.

"Mr. Arc, while you have an excellent form and fighting style, I would suggest practicing with your Semblance to reduce the amount of Aura it uses and decrease the time it takes to form and use your weapons, and practice using the sword on your hip for actual combat. The Grimm will not pause to let you make your weapon; nor would they stop if you run out of Aura." Professor Goodwitch said. Jaune gave her a slow nod in her direction while his eyes darted from her, to his opponent, and the audience.

Jaun placed his Happi back on and stared at Cardin with no visible expression.

"Mr. Winchester. Your style needs a lot of work. You rush forward with no real strategy and each swing leaves you open to counterattack. Each time you tried taunting your opponent, regardless of your opponent finding ways to use it to his advantage. You also were overconfident, and cocky, so sure you would defeat your opponent that you let your attention drift away from your foe to the Aura meters. There will be signals that someone is eliminated, and you were lucky Mr. Arc did not choose to press his attack at those times; instead using it to form new weapons. The worst part is when you directly struck your weapon on the sharpest part of Mr. Arc's last weapon; despite seeing the previous one leave a scratch on it. Without a weapon, your fighting style is useless against the larger Grimm species." Professor Goodwitch said, handing him the pieces of his weapon she picked up with her Semblance.

"Also, Detention for that vulgar wording about fellow students." Goodwitch said, making Cardin growl and glare at Teams RNBW and RAYN. The Arc Family Symbol at the back of the Hapi that Jaune wore taunted him. No one made a fool of Cardin Winchester.

The feud between Cardin of the Winchester family and Jaune of the Arc family had only just begun.


	5. Situation Update

Do any readers want to pitch ideas for New Grimm, Semblance evolution, and even more villains?

 **UPDATE**

Things are slowly improving with that situation. Steve has found shelter.

Now this stupid COVID-19 situation is affecting how often I can update. Sorry everyone


End file.
